It is always disappointing to read or listen to a story of an African who refuses to acknowledge that, directly or indirectly, they benefit from affirmative action. Unfortunately, there are some Africans who claim to have made it on their own, without any help from affirmative action. This is a tragic development, indeed. Africans need […]
Business
Posted inBusiness
Of fairy tales and other horror stories
Imagine this modern-day scenario. We can even start this off with: once upon a recent time, a very small bunch of clever big people set up a scheme that made them a huge amount of money over many years. Then, in their greed to make even more money than reasonably could be expected, they overextended […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics, Tech
More nukes on the way
What lingered in my mind after his speech on the nuclear future for South Africa was not Dr Rob Adams’ confident prediction that we would have another 10 Koebergs in the next 20 years. It was his assertion, in replying to a question from the audience in the Rhodes University lecture theatre on Tuesday, that […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
Arms trade: corrupting the soul of Africa and developing countries
The government’s strategic arms procurement (the so-called “arms deal”) has been the root of all troubles for our young democracy. The arms manufacturers prey on young democracies and the developing countries, enticing them with promises of endless benefits that industrial participation projects (offset arrangements) make possible. Shortly after freedom ushered a new government after 1994, […]
Posted inBusiness
Wall Street turning the American dream into a nightmare!
James Truslow Adams (1878-1949), the American writer and historian, in his book The Epic of America stated: “The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European […]
Posted inBusiness, Media, News/Politics
In memory of Deon Basson, a great forensic business journalist
South Africa lost one of its greatest investigative journalists and a fine thinker when Deon Basson died this week. What endeared him to me, aside from my admiration of his understanding of insurance companies and the determination that made him one of South Africa’s finest investigative business journalists, was a lack of obvious vanity. The […]
Posted inBusiness, Media
Now you can even swap your child online
There is a website, www.childtrader.com that allows and even encourages you to permanently swap your child should you feel that you are not an ideal match. You cannot sell or buy a child, only swap one (your own, preferably) for one that is better suited to you. The website is filled with testimonials, FAQs, encouragment […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
Drawing instructive lessons of leadership from champions of supreme iniquities
Great leaders leave for later generations the task of imitation and identify themselves through constant response to the rhythms of changing circumstances; they turn the inchoate emotions of the mob to the purpose of their own; they seize on the opportunities of their time, the confiding hopes, fears, frustrations, crises and potentialities; and they succeed […]
Posted inBusiness
Is big business pursuing transformation half-heartedly?
In late 2003, the then Sasol CEO Pieter Cox made a serious error of judgment by citing Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) as a risk factor in a document that the company had to compile in terms of New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) regulations, reporting that, “there could be risks to shareholders that value may not […]
Posted inBusiness
OPEC: a cartel of remorseless oil sharks
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)’s supposed mission is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of member countries and ensure the stabilisation of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital to those […]
Posted inBusiness, Media, Tech
Google does evil?
Google South Africa has abused its position of dominance in the online advertising market and has used underhand methods to win a major online advertising account with the SA Yellow Pages website. [Update: Allegedly, of course.] You can read the full press release here. In a nutshell, Entelligence was awarded the online marketing contract for […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
Sound monetary policy post-Mboweni under threat
Tito Mboweni, Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, has indicated that he has no desire to serve beyond the two terms as chief of the bank. It is a decision that feeds conspiracy theories, especially when the end of his term almost coincides with the beginning of the new populist government of the ANC. […]